An urgent warning's been issued by police after a couple from North Yorkshire were left penniless by conmen who posed as bank officials to rob them of their entire life savings of tens of thousands of pounds.

Over just a few days, five different victims - all farmers from in and around Selby - have had a fortune taken from their bank accounts by an organised crime gang.

Fraudsters have made at least five calls in the last 10 days Credit: Press Association

North Yorkshire Police have issued a warning to bank customers about a telephone scam in which bogus bank officials have made account holders transfer thousands of pounds into fake accounts.

In the past 10 days, five farms in the Selby district were called by men claiming to be part of a bank fraud investigation team who urged customers to transfer their money into what they claim were "safe accounts".

They have done this either through internet banking or told the victim to go direct to their bank and not mention it to the bank staff, claiming the staff were also under investigation.

On each occasion the suspects have called the victim and claimed that someone had attempted to cash a cheque on their account for £11,500.

Victims game out their bank details Credit: Press Association

In some incidents they have asked the victim to call the number on the back of their bank card and unbeknown to them, they have held the phone line open, resulting in the victim believing they are calling their bank, when in fact, they are speaking to the fraudsters.

Advertisement

This video may be of some interest to the 76 dairy farmers in East Yorkshire and Lincolnshire, because they're being urged to take a much closer look at their herds - to try to learn what they're thinking.

A series of workshops is being organised to teach farmers what signals livestock give off and how to improve on what action may need to be taken. Richard Lawrence has been to one workshop to find out more.

For many years they've been used as a symbol of celebration. But accidents caused by Chinese lanterns have led to calls for them to be banned. Now farmers are backing the campaign, saying the lanterns threaten crops and can kill animals.

They have taken to Twitter to vent their frustrations and distribute an e-petition. They say the lanterns land in fields and can be eaten by curious cows, then the wire, which forms the structure of the lantern, can become wrapped around the unsuspecting cow's stomach, causing septicaemia and death.

Farmers want the Chinese lanterns banned Credit: Press Association

Concerned farmers say along with a loss of livestock, wayward lanterns are also setting fire to dry crops, including bales of hay - losing them yet more money.

Chinese lanterns have been around since the 3rd Century BC, but have been banned in some countries like Germany for the risk they can pose. One was believed to have started a fire consisting of 100,000 tonnes of plastic recycling material in the West Midlands in July.

Farmers say that an all out ban is the only way to protect their livestock and livelihoods.